Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday said Haryana and Punjab were brothers and that the issue of Chandigarh would be resolved through mutual dialogue.

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday said Haryana and Punjab were brothers and that the issue of Chandigarh would be resolved through mutual dialogue.

Khattar, who was speaking to mediapersons after the state-level function organised to mark the 49th Haryana Day at Haryana Raj Bhawan here, stated this on the statement made by the Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on the Chandigarh issue the other day.

Asked whether the state government planned to curtail expenditure, Khattar said there was neither any need for preparing any such plan nor issue any circular. Curbing wasteful expenditure should form part of people's nature and lifestyle, he said. "Expenditure, which would be in the interest of the state and its people would be allowed but unnecessary expenditure would be cut down," he said.

Asked about debt of `81,000 crore on Haryana and the compensation of `7,000 crore as Central Sales Tax pending with the central government, Khattar said the matter would be taken up with the Centre and schemes would be framed to improve the fiscal condition of the state.

Asked about the agenda of the state government for the Vidhan Sabha session beginning November 3, Khattar said this would be the first session of 13th state assembly in which oath would be administered to the newly-elected MLAs. Besides, the speaker would also be elected.